Notes: I admit I don't know Fire Emblem characters outside of the Awakening cast... But after much studying, I thought this one up. I hope it pleases!

Stats: 500 words for Cherche and Einherjar!Innes, today. Still today, I will do the other two Einherjar requests. Please check my profile for the request delivery schedule, so you know when to tune in for which pairing!

Cherche and Minerva were now effectively separated from the rest of the party. Even high up over the gorge, the rider couldn't see a single ally for backup, not even the girls on their pegasi. Her wyvern was steady in her flight, but her head turned to her sides as well and her nostrils flared, finding no friend or foe anywhere near.

"I guess we went too far away during our rescue," the redhead told her mount, shrugging slightly.

They had chased down a griffon with a Risen on its back until they freed the innocent beast, the undead falling several feet down to splat messily against the rocks. The poor animal had been so relieved, and it was long out of sight, but neither Cherche nor Minerva had even noticed how much of a distance they had put between themselves and the real fight until now...

"Let's turn around, to rejoin the others," the rider said as she leaned to the side, her wyvern following suit and changing her course.

The arrow came out of nowhere, piercing one of Minerva's wings right through.

She roared in pain, her warm blood flowing freely as she beat her wings in desperation. Her owner shrieked as they descended at frightening speed, the rapids running at the bottom of the gorge being their likely destination. The wyvern would drown, and her rider was going nowhere without her, so she would too...

Cherche threw all her weight to the other side, and they crashed against a lower cliff with great force.

"I'm sorry about that," Cherche apologized, grunting as she got out from under her heavy mount. "At least we didn't get to take a dip down there." Minerva huffed in agreement.

The woman heard the straining bowstring, and looked up to see a couple of arrows descend upon them from a hidden spot in the cliffs.

"Not them!"

A single arrow struck the other pair, snapping them in succession. Just who...?

Cherche looked to the other side of the gorge, and there stood a rather gallant man with his own bow, a strange aura visible about him. An Einherjar spirit. In her shock, she didn't notice the enemy falling dead beside her, or how Minerva's tail swept the corpse off their cliff into the river.

"I told you I would keep you safe, to stay behind me!" the Einherjar of Innes yelled at her from the other side.

She couldn't help blushing at that. What a pleasant change from absolutely every man she knew. Even if he was just confusing her for another woman of his real past, even if he was just an illusion...

The rider turned her back on the spirit and tended to her wounded wyvern, smiling as she heard the concerned voice echo behind her while she healed that pierced wing. She felt safe. She felt nice letting down her guard and being watched over. He was a dream she could allow herself to have now, while help arrived.